From Here, Where?

I've been thinking since yesterday about what I should write today. My first idea was to overwhelm you with information. Charts, data, links...the usual stuff, only more so. Then it dawned on me...that's probably not what you want to hear right now.

Besides there are all kinds of other websites out there where you can get that stuff. And today, I'm not too concerned about technicals. You see, my obligation is to you and to the other 28,939 unique IPs that hit this site yesterday. What do you need to hear? Or, put this way, if I was in your shoes, what would I want to hear from Turd this weekend?

Therefore I've decided, at least for today, to dispense with the charts and the links. I'm not going to mention the info that Andy shared on KWN or the fact that the GLD incredibly shed another 22.86 metric tonnes of "inventory" yesterday. (That's another 1,840 bars or 10 of my pallets, by the way.) Nope, none of that. If I were you, I'd want to be reassured that this wasn't all just a big crock of shit. All this gold stuff. All of the new reserve currency stuff. All of the Cartel manipulation stuff. All of it. I'd want to know that I hadn't been snookered and taken advantage of. I'd want to know that all of these "internet people" that I follow aren't simply making stuff up as they go along. And I'd want to know that they're sincere and that they're just as frustrated as I am.

So, I guess I'll start with myself. I think everyone knows this but I'll state it again: I'm just a nobody. I live in the American Midwest and my entire life has been spent doing pretty-much normal stuff. About five years ago, I quit the "corporate ladder" and pursued a path of independence. In 2009, I discovered ZeroHedge and the rest, as they say, is history. I now find myself in the middle of a global struggle against elements of the established central and bullion banking order. Suffice it to say: It's a surreal existence and not one that I could ever have envisioned. But I'm here now and waist-deep in the fight. Does this make me infallible or all-knowledgeable? Of course not. But I do my best to share with you, my dear reader, as much information and insight as I can.

The past eight months have been the most challenging. Not only have I lost all remaining faith in the idea that Americans live in a self-governing, representative republic, I've also been privileged(?) to witness first-hand some of the true depth of the corruption. Concurrently, I allowed myself to be totally caught off-guard by the ferocity of the attack on the precious metals after the announcement of QE∞. At this critical time, I should have anticipated that all necessary measures would be taken to discourage the ownership of any form of money other than fiat currency. In failing to recognize this contingency, I failed you, my dear reader. Though I am 100% confident in the accuracy of my predictions of "the end of the Great Keynesian Experiment", I failed to recognize that this current beatdown was both predictable and inevitable. I hope we've both learned something and that we both are able to keep from making the same mistake in the future.

But mistakes will still be made and the point of this post is to assure you that I am on your side and doing everything in my power to help you prepare for what is inevitably coming. I do so with all sincerity of purpose and the cloak of this responsibility wears heavily upon my soldiers every day. Just ask MrsF or the LTs. They'll tell you how they often catch me staring blankly off into the distance, seemingly detached from the moment. "What are you thinking about", they'll ask. "Oh, dear, where do I begin...". But that's OK; I'm not looking for sympathy. I just want you to know that I, and most everyone else I've had the privilege to meet within the metals "community", truly believe in the cause and we are doing our best to help as many as possible.

I've often said that the greatest thing about "being Turd" is the access this grants me and the friendships and contacts that I've been able to make, so, please indulge me this. As stated above, this post is not about me. It's about what I assume must be on your mind this weekend. Namely, is this real and are the people with these websites trustworthy? For what it's worth, here's some of what I know (with apologies to anyone I mistakenly leave out):

Jim Sinclair (Santa): JSMineset was the first metals website I ever visited. That I've actually gotten to know Jim a little bit is a great honor. I've known a couple of NYSE-listed CEOs is in my life and Jim is no different. He smart and wise. Measured in his words but with a vision. Under no circumstances does he need to publish JSM but he does. Why? Because he cares. Period. He firmly believes that he can clearly see what is coming and he's trying to use his platform to warn as many as possible. You can trust and believe in him because I do.

Andrew Maguire: Not sure where to start and I'll try to keep this brief. Andy is a true gentleman and staunch ally of all of us. Sort of like Jim Sinclair, he doesn't need any of this but he's sick of the injustice and the inequity created by the bullion banks...and he's fighting back. Even though we've never met, I've come to trust him implicitly.

Ned Naylor-Leyland: I don't think you could find a nicer guy on the face of the planet. Again, just like so many of us, Ned's sort of had this stuff thrust upon him. But he's an eloquent spokesman for our cause and I've come to value him as a friend.

Jim Willie: You may think that Jim has some crazy theories. I know I do. But please do not doubt his intellect, his intuition or his sincerity. The guy is a true visionary and I have no doubt that, one day soon, he will be vindicated and treated as such.

Bill Murphy and Chris Powell: The veteran soldiers of the movement. Though Bill might seem a bit of a loose cannon from time to time, he's a good man and tireless campaigner against The Cartels. Chris is a solid, upright and honest man whose commitment and integrity benefits all of us.

Ted Butler, Ranting Andy, Mike Krieger, Jim Quinn, Kerry Lutz, Dave Janda, David Morgan, Alasdair Macleod, Jeff Nielson, Detlev Schilchter, John Williams: All of these guys either write newsletters or offer paid subscription analysis and I have either met them in person or made their acquaintance via Skype. All of them provide a valuable resource and all of them are doing everything they can to help the cause. I feel I can personally vouch for them and I strongly recommend that you trust them, too.

There are many others but, for the sake of your time, I'll stop here.

I could go on but I don't want to turn this into some kind of LoveFest. The point of this is what I stated above. Though you should always question the things you read, do your own research and due diligence, I wanted to pass along what I know to reassure you about the gold community and those involved within it. I hope I've done just that.

Please utilize the rest of this weekend to get some much-needed rest and relaxation. To me, it's quite clear that we have entered the final chapter of bullion bank hegemony and the days ahead are only going to get more volatile. You're going to need information and wisdom to see your way through it so I hope that this post has been a valuable use of your time.

About the Author

617 Comments

My first stacking was in early 2012. So, I don't have the benefit (and fortune) of earlier stacks.

Needless to say, if I choose to consider the stacks from a fiat currency perspective, it's underwater, perhaps just above the bottom of the lake. I have taken the worst beating (ever) in phyzz and in miners, compared to any other investments I have ever made.

However, if I choose to consider that I have been able to convert a debased fiat paper, and 0's and 1's in a computer, into previous metals, I feel absolutely different.

It's an on-going struggle, both mentally and emotionally, to be convicted about the 2nd option, especially as we are 'all in'. Most importantly, my partner is solidly with me. So, despite the take downs, how do I sleep easy every night and not second guess whether I should liquidate? I maintain an unshakeable belief and conviction, that this environment of a towering and un-serviceable $17T debt that continues to grow, a global derivative time bomb that cannot be de-fused, over-leveraged insolvent banks and an out-of-the-bottle inflationary genie, cannot persist. Nature and God's law will right it.

Red Hot & Pissed! And its not just from this week's smack-down by the cartel.
Had a lady email me requesting advice and information about purchasing bullion from us at SDBullion. Jim Willie had referred her to us. We'll call her Sally, Sally is a young mother of 3 who recently became a widow.
She sent Monex $200,000 of her husband's life insurance payout to purchase physical silver because her husband had always ordered gold and silver from them. They talked her into "1,000 oz silver bars", and told her they would store them for her, because "what are you going to do with 1,000oz bars?". Her "order" was placed in December at approx $32.50 in silver.
Guess what? The bastards started calling her this week telling her that she has margin calls, and they need to sell a few of her silver bars. Friday comes, and they call and tell her we can't really sell any more of your bars or you won't be able to get your money back, we need you to send your husband's gold in, we won't touch it, we'll just keep it safe".

I informed her that you didn't purchase an ounce of silver, you purchased 4 COMEX contracts (through fraudulent deception), and you are now receiving margin calls on your leveraged and underwater positions.
She calls the Monex people back, who assure her that oh, no, this isn't a futures position, you own physical silver! I re-iterate the fact that there is no such thing as a margin call on a physical position!
And they have the balls to tell her that they're holding physical silver for her, at the same time as informing her that her $200,000 silver purchase is currently valued at about $20,000 or about a 90% loss in 4 months, when the price of silver has declined about 20% over the same period!

As if all this wasn't bad enough, the bastards are also are charging her 7% annual interest to boot!

These people almost make the cartel look like alter boys!...almost.
I know most Turdites are educated enough not to fall for such a fraudulent scam, but just a heads up for any family members or friends who might look into entering the gold or silver markets.

Rant off.

On a lighter note, my commentary on yesterday's price raid with Eric Dubin:

Kennecott is the second largest copper producer in the United States, providing approximately 13 percent of the country's copper needs. Kennecott produces approximately 300,000 tons of refined copper each year. This copper is used in electrical wiring, plumbing, roofing, coin making and more. In addition to copper, the mine also produces about 400,000 ounces of gold, 4 million ounces of silver and 20 million pounds of molybdenum.

Jesus Christ, Doc. That is just awful. I hope she is suing, and going public about this. I'd call all my local media outlets, then move on to national. This is inexcusable. If they really did that, they need to be strung up and left to rot.

tmosely- after talking with her throughout the week and seeing Monex' responses, Im confident she would have a slam dunk legal case if she decided to pursue action. In the meantime, I referred her to the CFTC's action last month against a Florida firm for the exact same scam, and sent her the link to the CFTC's official complaint link (which she has filled out and submitted). The CFTC doesn't do jack s*** about overall metals manipulation, but they appear to still be prosecuting firms that claim to purchase physical bullion for you (and charge interest and storage fees) and turn around and buy comex contracts with your capital.

Meanwhile, since they continue to insist she has physical silver, I told her to call their bluff and demand physical delivery, every last freaking bar worth that she would have acquired with $200k at $32.50.

Contemplating if/how I can publicize it on SD w/o Monex trying to sue us.
-Doc

I'm going to go out on a limb and say IF gold/silver are now in short physical supply globally that within 5 years or wayyy sooner that the US will rescind or "temporarily suspend" the Gold Bullion Coin Act & Liberty Coin Act of 1985 due to national security reasons or something very similar.

That doesn't seem like such a big limb and you heard it here first.

Time will tell but when this happens it means were close to something big. It might be that a flurry of Executive Orders regarding the above and other important matters happen all at once during a bank holiday or some type of market emergency.

I'm comfortable saying all of that.

Also, I just scanned the 2012 GLD prospectus and from what I can see there is no shortage of easy out's for them to terminate the trust and have the bullion revert to the custodians with little legal recourse or ramifications (naturally).

The one that caught my eye and the one that seems the easiest and likeliest mechanism is a clause that states if the the CFTC were to declare the GLD Trust as a "commodity pool" per some 1935 congressional law that the trust could be terminated and possession of the inventory would revert to the custodian.

Sounds like a strong possibility among many others also given.

I know ancientmoney is very familiar and knowledgeable regarding the SLV prospectus and I'm guessing the wording is very similar and completely tilted in the custodians favor with lots of escape hatches with no legal recourse.

Doing the math, $200,000 at $32.50 per oz means they should have bought five thousand ounce bars (not four), and they should have had ~700 ounces left over. If they really only bought 4, then they charged her $50 an ounce for 1000 oz bars. Worse, if they actually used leverage and still claim to have only bought her four bars, it means that they actually STOLE part of her money, as otherwise she couldn't have had a margin call, as it should have been bought and paid for. You don't get margin calls when you aren't on margin.

Being a stacker and prepping for the 'end of the Great Keynesian Experiment', this PM volatility is maddening. However, I am thankful for you, your community and the the people you identify for making me aware and keeping me informed about our economic destruction. Being aware gives me inner peace.

We are a very small minority. I fear and pray for the majority of people in this country that have NO clue of what's coming and will be overwhelmed.

Kathy Derbes, CEO of KDerbes Precious Metals, is a bullion dealer offering services to a broad range of clients from individual investors to hedge funds

Paper Pricing Fuels Volatility, Physical Buying Takes Advantage

After experiencing years of steady price increases in precious metals followed by swift declines, we are not strangers to volatile markets. Many of us have become "seasoned" to exceptional price swings even though their frequency and magnitude can be wearing. The same can be said about any battle. Right now we are in the middle of a monetary war to return to a sound monetary system. The paper gold pricing system vs. the physical holders are on the front lines.

Here's another truth: what doesn't kill us makes us stronger. Physical gold is in and going into strong hands. On waterfall price declines in the paper market, physical purchases accelerate. We see virtually no selling of physical during times like this. Further, in our daily conversations we hear absolute resolve of physical gold owners to stay the course until we are once again is a sound monetary system. Collectively our belief in gold as the antidote to a failing fiat monetary system is stronger than ever, even though precious metals prices seem to take the steps up and the elevator down. As Jim Grant has said (paraphrasing) "gold is for the weary, not necessarily the frightened.

Big Hat, No Cattle

After trillions of dollars in monetary stimulus we have low economic growth and very little improvement in unemployment. If statistics were available to assess the quality of jobs being created we would likely see a deterioration in actual wages earned on a per-job basis. Many are working multiple jobs just to maintain a prior earnings level. The quality of one job is simply not equal to every other job. We all believe if we work hard and smart we'll get ahead financially. That of course is the case, unless the money you're working for is dying.

The unintended consequences of money printing have been steadily showing up in higher prices for what we need in our daily lives (food, energy). We are getting squeezed between the two (less income, higher prices) and our quality of life is declining. Our current precarious economic environment has been reaped upon us courtesy of the Federal Reserve. For decades they have been meddling in the free market system, muting the business cycle thereby promoting massive miss-allocation of capital, QE+ and a myriad of other money printing (currency destructive) programs.

Because the real world doesn't march to the tune of academic models, the Fed cannot control the economy the way they thought they could. Trillions of newly printed dollars have produced volatile markets, a barely stable housing environment, a difficult lending environment, higher unemployment and an enormous debt burden. Because what they have done has failed by most metrics, all they have left is the perception of credibility. This explains their intensified jawbone method to try to convince the public that their high wire economic balancing act will eventually stabilize the economy and and produce prosperity. When the Fed's veil of credibility is pierced and the majority no longer believe they can "save" us from the pain of over-indebtedness and a myriad of other structural economic issues, they have a huge problem. That point in time appears to be swiftly approaching (when the bond market takes the printing press away from them). The point is, as economic reality reveals the truth, the Fed's jawbone attempts to defend its fiat monetary system come alive. Remember, it's all about perception. The Fed's credibility hangs in the balance.

Talk is Cheap: Watch What They Do, Not What They Say

Statements from Fed members trying to thread the perception of a not too hot, not too cold economy continue to whipsaw equity, fixed income and commodity markets. High frequency and other day traders focused solely on price change course suddenly when short-term economic numbers indicate QE is imminent, delayed or "not necessary". In this roller coaster environment we must remember that the Fed will continue to do what they always have done, print money. More QE is coming. The one market they fear the most is the bond market so watch it closely for clues. The Fed simply cannot let interest rates rise or servicing our enormous debt will be like climbing up a mudslide. Remember, the truth lives in what they do. It tells us far more about our financial future than what they say.

Cheap talk, market reactions and a dying monetary system worldwide have also caused enormous volatility in the price-setting paper metals markets. Most of the violence seems to come on the downside as the price takes ten strokes forward and gets hit with a title wave of selling. There are reports of thousands of gold futures contracts sold in minutes causing huge price setbacks (and running stops) - obviously without the intent to maximize profit. On these waterfall declines when the fractional paper market runs the gold price down, the fully accounted for physical market soaks it up at lower levels.

Strong Hands

There are reports of tonnes of physical gold being bought at lower levels, literally tonnes, presumably by sovereign entities. The west is likely losing tonnes of physical gold to the east. On the individual level we see participation in the physical gold market broadening and getting deeper as they too add to their collection on any break in price. At the same time there are virtually no sellers. This tells us physical gold is in strong hands and going into strong hands as the paper setting market facilitates the trade.

This is all happening at a point in time when the overall individual participation in the metals markets, at least in the U.S., is still extremely low. How many people do you know who own even one ounce of gold? Current holders are positioned perfectly, ahead of the point in time when more and more people understand their financial future depends on a sound monetary system. Physical gold and silver are the basis of a sound monetary system. And because they are in strong hands they are not likely to be re-offered again anytime soon, eventually only changing hands at much higher prices.

How Many Tonnes Does It Take?

The fiat paper monetary system is dying. The silent army of strong gold owners and their collections are growing. More debasement of our dollar will hasten the arrival of the day when the physical market is in control and the paper market can only respond to physical demand. How many tonnes will it take? No one knows of course but we are on the path to find out.

LONDON | Thu Apr 11, 2013 11:37am EDT (Reuters) - British shops are rationing sales of baby milk after Chinese visitors and bulk buyers cleared their shelves to send it to China, where many parents fear the local versions are dangerous. The British Retail Consortium (BRC), whose members account for 80 percent of the sector, said many stores had imposed a two-box limit on each customer to deter the "unofficial exports" to China. Demand for foreign milk powder has been high in China since at least six infants died and 300,000 fell ill in 2008 after they drank milk laced with the industrial chemical melamine. The scandal sapped consumer confidence in Chinese-made food and led to shortages of powdered milk in Hong Kong and Australia as people bought boxes to export to China. The rise of the middle-class Chinese working mother has greatly increased sales of baby milk in the world's most populous country. Fast-growing markets like China support a global baby food market worth an estimated $30 billion a year. "The major retailers of baby milk - supermarkets, chemists - are restricting sales," said BRC spokesman Richard Dodd. "They have done this in response to some customers buying unusually large amounts. The irregular buying patterns are thought to be a result of unofficial exporting to China." The buyers include Chinese tourists and students who take a few cartons home with them or post them to relatives. There are also organized groups who buy large amounts of powder to export to China, one businessman involved in the trade told Sky News. "There are three types of people like us. The first you get (are) students or visitors who get asked to send one or two tins back to family or friends. Then you get small and medium businesses like me," the man, based in northern England, told Sky News. "The third group of people are the biggest sellers. They buy directly from health distributors - the kind of people who supply supermarkets." SOLD OUT Supermarkets in Britain put up signs telling customers they could only buy two boxes of milk powder per visit. Shoppers in London said they had noticed sporadic shortages and had had to visit different chains to find a preferred brand. "On Sunday, we couldn't get any in Asda or Tesco and we had to go to Sainsbury's," said Lyn Patterson, walking with her grandson Jacob in Oxford Street, one of the capital's busiest shopping areas. "They're sold out all the time. But we've never run out - we always have a carton on standby." Boxes of baby milk costing around 10 pounds ($15) in Britain are on sale on Chinese websites for up to three times as much. French food group Danone, which makes the Aptamil and Cow & Gate milk brands, apologized to British consumers and said it had increased production. "We understand that the increased demand is being fuelled by unofficial exports to China to satisfy the needs of parents who want Western brands for their babies," it said. Nestle, the world's biggest food company, said its milk products were unaffected. Bulk buying in Hong Kong earlier this year prompted the government to restrict the amount of milk powder mainland Chinese could take back with them. It followed complaints of shortages and rocketing prices. Beijing has tried to reassure people that milk powder and dairy products in China are now safe and rigorously tested. However, lax regulatory enforcement is still a problem. ($1 = 0.6525 British pounds)

Thanks Turd for all you are doing, your honest in sights and acting as a beacon for all the little boats out here. I was watching last weeks steep decline on the Kitco charts and should have been scared. But on reflection I am not scared at all. If I'm not selling how does it affect me in any way? All that's important is that when it is time to sell the price is good.. and that is something no one has to worry about. This fall is temporary, that much is sure, so it will come back again and the highs will be higher, probably much higher. IMHO the wise thing to do is hang back and wait while the machine self-destructs. It's happening and this is a slow-motion train wreck, just hang on to your investments, and don't jump off now. We all know where this is heading and patience will pay off, of that I have no doubt.

In a place I forgot I put it! ;) A roll or Grizzly's, a roll of 84/85 EH prospectors, and half roll of 2001 Libertads!

I did give the lady the written offer for the rest of the sum on our house today for the silver I remembered I did have and. Priced what I could based on replacement value on what I could find in stock and resorted to ebay for the rest of my figures so I came out to about $33/oz for what I did have and made the offer that would reduce the amount owed by about 8k for paying 4 years early so valued at $37/oz I am still not sure if I want her to accept the offer or not. If she reads the headlines then she probably won't and I am no worse off...if she wants the deal closed then we are debt free...still have a handfull of gold....and the 57oz I just found above! I guess that is a good place to start stacking from again. I will let everyone know when I hear something. Thanks again Turd for making this such a great community in the truest sense!

The company said Taranis was designed to utilise the most advanced means possible of achieving low observability.

"This includes both the systems and technology inside the aircraft as well as the shape, design and finish of the exterior of the aircraft. This does mean that there are aspects of the exterior design of the aircraft which remain classified,'' it said.
Other details such as range and top speed are also top-secret.

The development of pilotless combat aircraft is controversial and many regard the risks of mistakes associated with removing humans from the kill chain as unacceptable.

Several American companies are also developing unmanned fighters and helicopters for land and sea based operations.

A senior American aerospace executive told News Limited that the fifth-generation F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, being purchased by the RAAF, will be the last manned fighter built in the US.

Taranis

A concept image of the British superdrone, Taranis. Picture: BAE Systems Source: Supplied

DPH .... I enjoy all the good stuff you bring .... the music, too .... you are a tireless contributor .... I am a loveable gadfly .... but I do have some issues with you .... I think you are a bleeding heart amongst hoarders .... and I get nervous .... when you philosophize .... about "Political Narcissism and Capitalistic Free For All" .... this mess we are in is a failure to use Capitalism to our best advantage .... we are living the Triumph of Socialism .... and that ain't good ! You are not the only left leaning weinnie around here .... there are plenty .... God bless ém all .... but I believe in Capitalism with all my being .... and I will defend it .... in my own twisted way ! Monedas 1929 Comedy Jihad I'm A Senior Hoarder Here And The Last To Give Up On The PMs World Tour PS: Why would Monex sell 1000 oz bars to the widow of a good client .... because she might be less likely to ask for delivery of those monstrosities .... I bought one from them once .... about $6,000 if I remember correctly .... I had to pick it up at United Parcel Service .... near downtown LA .... not far from the Original Pantry .... but that's another story ?

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DISCLAIMER: The charts and analysis provided here are not recommended for trading purposes. Trade at your own risk. The Turd provides knowledge not direction. Turd holds no liability for your trades and decisions but he's happy to take credit when credit is due, particularly through the "donate" button. Read more...